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CT Tech By The Numbers

The state of Connecticut and many of its companies and institutions have spent the last two decades trying to build out the technology infrastructure of companies and jobs.

A new annual study of tech employment in all fifty states presents a detailed look at employment in the state’s technology industry and within non-tech companies as well.

The report’s data is compiled and reported by CompTIA, based in Downers Grove, IL. CompTia is a member based non-profit organization and bills itself as “the world's leading tech association, is a thought leader and an action leader.” Among the services of the association are standards development, communities of professionals, industry advocacy and IT certification programs.

Bruce Carlson head of the Connecticut Technology Council commented on the report, saying “the Tech Sector in Connecticut continues to set the pace for job and wage growth. He added, “tech and tech-oriented companies in Connecticut added nearly 2000 jobs in 2016, and the average wage for a tech worker is about 60% higher than the average wage in Connecticut: $105,500 vs. $65,800.”

Carlson added however, that Connecticut did not do as well as states he considered peers, Maryland, Minnesota, Colorado, Oregon, and “we have more work to do.”

Among the biggest obstacles for the industry Carlson cited was Connecticut’s tech workforce. Saying, this is a national problem, but in Connecticut "we also have to compete with locations that pay even more than our companies.” Carlson added that Connecticut’s tech companies were largely smaller businesses, making the workforce challenge greater. He explained that in spite of Connecticut’s relatively large college and university population fewer than 300 Computer Science majors were graduated each year.

The reports showed more than 10,000 job posting in the state for the fourth quarter of 2016.

Carlson said, he was exploring new ways to provide at least entry level tech workers for the state, citing computer coding training companies and initiatives that are outside of the higher ed system, but are springing up around the country.

With an estimated 75,096 workers, Connecticut ranks 26th among the 50 states for tech industry employment.

Technology occupations across all other industries in Connecticut – the second component of the tech workforce – reached an estimated 93,000 in 2016.

The tech sector accounts for an estimated 5.3 percent ($13.5 billion) of the overall state economy.

The annualized average wage for a tech industry worker in Connecticut was an estimated $105,500 in 2016, 60 percent higher than the average state wage ($65,800). Connecticut ranks 26th nationally in average tech industry wages.

Other Key Findings:

Connecticut ranks 22nd among all states in the Cyberstates 2017 Innovation Score, which is based on an analysis of new tech patents, tech startups and new tech business establishments on a per capita basis.

The state is home to an estimated 6,471 tech business establishments.

The tech industry employs an estimated 4.5 percent of the overall state workforce.